Breaker strip



Oct. 11, 1955 LA MAR s. COOPER 2,720,334

BREAKER STRIP Filed April 24, 1952 INVENTOR.

96a mam 5. 26001301 ds t t 6 BREAKER STRIP La Mar S. Cooper, Amana,lowa, assignor to Amana iKefr-igeration, Inc., Amalia, Iowa, atcorporation of owa Application April 24, 1952, Serial No. 284,172

2 Claims. (Cl. 220-15) This invention relates to a wall construction forrefrigerators or freezer cabinets, and specifically to a novel andimproved breaker strip assembly.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a breakerstrip construction wherein the metal inside liner of the refrigeratorand the outer metal case are rigidly and firmly held, yet are properlyspaced apart and are entirely out of metal-to-metal contact with eachother, in order to minimize heat transmission through the cabinet wall,yet hold the metal parts so firmly that the structure has adequatemechanical strength.

A still further object is the provision of a breaker strip constructionemploying a formed plastic strip as the exposed member. Such a structureis advantageous in producing a cabinet wherein heat conductivity isreduced to a minimum. At the same time, quick and easy cleaning of thecabinet is facilitated, due to the absence of exposed screw heads orother fastening devices along the exposed surfaces of the breaker strip.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of abreaker strip assembly comprising a pair of coacting members consistingof an, exposed, relatively yieldable member and a concealed rigidstructural member, wherein the structural member serves not only as ameans for holding the case and'line'r'of the cabinet in properlyassembled relation, but serves as the sole mounting means for theexposed member of the assembly.

The foregoing objects are accomplished by providing a sheet metalrefrigeration cabinet having a rigid sheet of nonmetallic structuralmaterial extending directly be tween adjacent flanges of the exteriormetal case and the interior metal liner of the cabinet, with beveledsurfaces on the opposite edges of the strip forming opposed lockinggrooves in which a formed plastic strip is mounted. The plastic stripentirely conceals the structural strip, and conceals the screws by whichit is fastened to the metal. The plastic is secured in place by a pairof acute angled flanges or hooks fitting into opposed grooves betweenthe nonmetallic structural member and the metal flanges to which it isattached.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a refrigerator cabinetat the junction between the door opening and door; showing the improvedbreaker strip contemplated by this invention; and

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the breaker strip parts prior tofinal assembly, showing the rigid parts in assembled relation, but withthe plastic strip utilized in the assembly shown apart therefrom tobetter illustrate the preset bowed formation of this strip.

The wall of the refrigerator cabinet illustrated comprises an exteriormetal case and an interior metal liner 11, with insulating material 12in the space between the inner and outer walls. The sheet metal of thecase 10 is flanged inwardly at 13 around the door opening and a reverseflange 14 may be provided to give additional strength and rigidity tothe structure. The inner metal liner 11 is also flanged around the dooropening at 16.

The breaker strip assembly in which the novelty of the present inventionresides comprises a concealed flat, nonmetallic structural member 17 andan exposed face strip consisting of a plastic strip 22. The interiorstructural member 17 is preferably formed of a thin strip of rigidmaterial having considerable physical strength, and having low thermalconductivity. A material such as Masonite (tempered Presdwood) is idealfor the purpose. The strip 17 is preferably secured to the flanges 13and 16 by screws 18 and 19, respectively. The inner and outer edges ofthe flat strip 17 are undercut by beveled surfaces 20 and 21, and arespaced slightly from the plane of the outside surface of the case 10 andfrom the inside surface of the liner 11 so as to provide a V-shapedlocking groove at the forward or outer edge of the strip, and a similarbut opposed V-shaped locking groove. at the inner edge thereof.

The grooves formed by the surfaces 20 and 21 serve as mounting means fora plastic strip 22 which, in its assembled position, includes asubstantially flat central portion 23 having an acute angle, reversebend or thick 24 seated in the .V-shaped groove at the bevel 20', and acomparatively long leg or flame portion 25 terminating in an enlargedbeveled hook 26 seated in the Vshaped groove at the bevel 21. The partsare so dimensioned and proportioned. that the outer surface of thereverse bend 24 lies substantially flush with the exterior surface ofthe refrigerator case 10, while the exposed surface of' the flangeportion 25 of the strip lies in a plane substantially flush with theinner surface of the liner 11. Similarly, the relatively wide, flat,central portion 23 of the strip lies closely parallel to but slightlyspaced from the inner tapered surface 27 of the door 28.

In the preferred form of the invention, the strip 22 is formed ofplastic and the space within the Walls of the strip 22 is filled withFiberglas or other relatively soft and pliable insulating material 29.

The breaker stripis assembled by fastening the flat nonmetallic member17 between the flanges 13 and 16 by the screws 18 and 19 or otherconvenient means, after which the insulation 29 may be put in place andthe strip 22 applied by engaging its reverse hook 26 in the V-shapednotch at the bevel 21 and then pulling the breaker strip 23 to engagethe reverse hook 24 in the V-shaped notch 20. This is accomplished bydeflection of the breaker strip at the radius 30.

It will be noted that this assembly is facilitated by forming theflanged portion 25 of the strip 22 with a preset shape as shown inFigure 2, so that the strip tends to draw the hooks 24 and 26 togetherwith suilicient resiliency to hold the strip firmly in assembledrelation on the strip 17. The convex bow in the portion of the strip 23is provided in the preset shape of the strip 22 so that when the stripis in the strained position as assembled this portion 23 will be flat.

When assembled, it will be apparent that a cabinet having the breakerstrip assembly of this disclosure is possessed of important advantagesas to strength, efficiency and cleanliness, since the metallic portionsof the cabinet are segregated from each other in such a way as toprevent substantial heat transmission between cleaner; more attractiveassembly than heretofore known in the art, and at the same timeaccomplishes these advantages without sacrifice of physical strength orthermal efliciency, and without increasing manufacturing costs.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is: i

1. In a cabinet having an exterior metallic case and an interiormetallic liner spaced apart from each other and separated by arelatively thick layer of thermal insulating material, a breaker stripassembly comprising a concealed structural member and an exposed facestrip; the concealed structural member consisting of a relatively wideflat piece of rigid, nonmetallic material having one of its edgessecured along an inturned flange on the outer metallic case of thecabinet and its inner edge secured along an outwardly turned flange onthe interior metallic liner thereof; said piece having its oppositeedges undercut and coacting with the flanges of said exterior case andinterior liner to provide a pair of opposed grooves at thejunctionsbetween the structural member and said liner and case: incombination with an exposed face member mounted upon and surroundingsaid structural member; the exposed face member comprising a plasticextrusion having one relatively shortwall portion lying flush with andin substantial alignment with the interior liner of the cabinet andhaving an outwardly turned hook portion at thefree edge thereof inengagement with the groove at the junction between said liner and theaforementioned structural member; said extrusion having a reverse bendand a relatively wide thin wall portion extending outwardly toward theexterior case of the cabinet and terminating in a short inwardlyextending hook engaged and seated in the groove between said exteriormetallic case and the concealed structural member; the last mentionedwall of the extrusion being normally bowed, whereby the opposed hookportions of said extrusion are tensioned toward each other toresiliently engage the undercut portions of said nonmetallic concealedstructural member and hold said extrusion attached thereto.

2. In a cabinet having an exterior metallic case and an interiormetallic liner spaced apart from each other a and separated by arelatively thick layer of thermal insulating material, a breaker stripassembly comprising a concealed structural member and an exposed facestrip; the concealed structural member consisting of a relatively wideflat piece of rigid, nonmetallic material having one of its edgessecured along an inturned flange on the outer metallic case of thecabinet and its inner edge secured along an outwardly turned flange onthe interior metallic liner thereof; said piece having its oppositeedges undercut and coacting with the flanges of said exterior case andinterior liner to provide a pair of opposed grooves at the junctionsbetween the structural member and said liner and case: in combinationwith an exposed face member mounted upon and surrounding said structuralmember; the exposed face member comprising a substantially thermallynon-conductive plastic extrusion having one relatively short wallportion lying flush with and insubstantial alignment with the interiorliner of the cabinet and having an outwardly turned hook portion at thefree edge thereof in engagement with the groove at the junction betweensaid liner and the aforementioned structural member; said extrusionhaving a reverse bend, and a relatively wide thin wall portion extendingoutwardly toward the exterior case of the cabinet and terminating in ashort inwardly extending hook engaged and seated in the groove betweensaid exteriormetallic ease and the concealed structural member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

